Tag Archives: Gov of Canada

Politics

Legality of Pipeline Research in BC’s Parks Being Questioned

By Roy L Hales

When they were granted a license last November, the regulations stated Trans Mountain “must contribute to the scientific knowledge of the protected area(s).” They were conducting a feasibility study that was the preliminary step to building a pipeline. Now the legality of pipeline research in BC’s parks is being questioned .

Four months passed before the BC Government passed legislation, Bill 4: The Park Amendment Act, that made industrial research in public parks legal.  It was rushed through the legislature with no public consultation.

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Housing

Rare Birds: A Newly Founded Yet Fully Mature Community

By Roy L Hales

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the ECOreport Logo

Rare Birds was birthed out of friendship. One of the inspirations was the film “How to boil a Frog,” that Mary Jordan and Val MacKay-Greer saw at the 2011 Kamloops Film Festival. The film maker had wanted to bring hope to his daughter’s generation. It brought forth hope in Mary and Val as well. They were attracted to a communal lifestyle.

“What’s stopping us,” Val said.

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Animals, Rivers & Oceans

Fighting for the Future of BC’s Fisheries

As many as 70 million sockeye salmon  may return to the Fraser this year. These numbers have not been seen for decades and are quite a stark contrast to 1.6 million catch that sparked the Cohen commission a few years ago. That was when Dr Kristi Miller, head of Molecular Genetics at the Department of Fisheries and Ocean’s (DFO) Pacific Biological Station, testified that a  ‘viral signature’ of a disease  was contributing to as high as 90% pre-spawn mortality in returning Fraser sockeye. One of the reasons there is so much hope for this year, is the returning 2010 run were not infected. But, according to biologist Alexandra Morton, the real key to fighting for the future of BC’s fisheries is Dr Kristi Miller’s lab in Nanaimo.

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Environment

2,000 Apply to speak at Kinder Morgan Pipeline Hearing

By Roy L Hales

The deadline for applications to speak at the National Energy Board’s hearing on the proposed Kinder Morgan (Trans-Mountain) Pipeline expansion proposal is over. Around 2,000 applicants came forward. Several Lower Mainland communities, the governments of BC, Alberta and Washington, as well as 40 First Nations (4 of which came from Washington state) have applied.

If the project is approved:

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Animals, Rivers & Oceans

What is Killing BC’s Wild Salmon?

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Anyone simply looking for evidence that salmon farms could be infecting wild salmon will find enough five minutes into Twyla Roscovich’s documentary “Salmon Confidential Documentary.” The evidence is laid so convincingly that one is tempted to turn the video off. That would be a mistake. Salmon Confidential Documentary follows biologist Alexandra Morton, as she seeks the cause of the massive salmon die-offs before they can spawn. As she gets closer to the answer, the question becomes why is the Department of Fisheries and Oceans not doing something about it?

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